


You can't hide from your oldest friend

by Nary



Category: Adventure World (game)
Genre: Childhood Sweethearts, Children, Class Issues, Declarations Of Love, Developing Relationship, Gossip, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Old Friends, Relationship Advice, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-03
Updated: 2013-01-03
Packaged: 2017-11-23 11:37:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/621706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lila gave him a measured look.  "So, what's his name?" </p><p>"Who?" Aleyn feigned innocence. </p><p>"Come on, you can't fool me.  You don't go all blushing and glowy over getting home from a trip and seeing your mother, or even me.  So I conclude - new man in your life."</p>
            </blockquote>





	You can't hide from your oldest friend

Lila's children were throwing themselves at Aleyn before he could even close the door. "You're back! What did you bring us?" demanded Violet, the youngest at four, more forthright than the eight-year-old twins, Alder and Aspen. 

Aleyn laughed and took a sizeable bag of candy out of his pocket. "Only if your mother says it's all right," he told them, glancing over at Lila, who nodded, prompting a chorus of cheers and squeals. 

"Say thank you," Lila ordered, and the children obeyed cheerfully. "And make sure to share it!" Lila shouted after them as they hurried away with their loot. "You spoil them," she said, turning back to Aleyn, who shrugged, unapologetic. 

"I haven't seen them for weeks, they deserve a little spoiling." He glanced around the kitchen of the small house. "Torin's not home, I take it?" He knew perfectly well that Lila's husband wouldn't be home until evening, probably not until late in the evening in fact, given that he usually tended to stop in for a drink or two on his way home from the docks, but it seemed polite - and prudent - to ask anyway. 

Lila came over, wiping floury hands on her apron, to give Aleyn a hug. "He's not, you're safe." 

"I wasn't worried," he protested, "I just didn't want to be rude if he was sitting in the other room." Torin Deverel didn't much like Aleyn, or his wife's friendship with him, although it had never come to anything more than hard glaring and, Aleyn suspected, some arguments between the couple. But then, he was fairly sure they argued over lots of things, not just him. 

Lila shook her head. She looked tired, Aleyn thought, with dark circles under her eyes. "No, he'll be gone for a while still. So you've been out of town, I take it?" 

"It's kind of a long story," Aleyn told her. "'Out of town'" is a massive understatement." 

"Well, wherever you've been, it suits you," she said, smiling up at him. "You look happier than I've seen you in ages." 

Aleyn ducked his head bashfully as he came to sit with her at the table. "Although I do like being back to adventuring, any signs of happiness you detect are more likely due to being home again." 

Lila gave him a measured look. "So, what's his name?" 

"Who?" Aleyn feigned innocence. 

"Come on, you can't fool me. You don't go all blushing and glowy over getting home from a trip and seeing your mother, or even me. So I conclude - new man in your life." 

Aleyn acknowledged her accurate conclusion with a shrug and a smile. "His name's Vedran, and he's great." 

Lila grinned. "Let me guess." She tapped a finger to her lips as if thinking hard. "A charming, handsome, rich nobleman who's swept you off your feet..."

"You're right. Suspiciously right. I don't see how you could have guessed about the rich part," Aleyn said with narrowed eyes. "Have you been talking to Lystra?"

"She might have mentioned something," Lila admitted with a smirk. "Did you think your family wouldn't tell anybody that you brought Vedran Callais over for breakfast?"

"No," Aleyn admitted. He looked across at Lila, more anxious. "What are people saying?"

"Well, first of all, not everyone knows, so don't get yourself all worked up. He's one of the Thunderbolts, and so are you. I'm sure most who care to pay attention to such gossip think you're just friends. It's only those of us who know you better who pick up on the little signs..." She smiled affectionately. "Like how you can't stop grinning like a fool, for instance. You must really like him." 

"I do," said Aleyn, fulfilling her prophecy by grinning once again.

"So, what's so great about him? Other than all the handsome, rich, charming stuff," Lila added wryly.

"He's smart," Aleyn said slowly, thoughtful, "and he makes me laugh, and he has a beautiful voice, and freckles...." He blushed a little, continuing more earnestly. "And he cares so much about things - not like you'd think a lord would, not in some far-above-it-all kind of abstract way, he honestly cares about regular people, and about making the world better for everyone, and he's willing to actually do the hard work that's needed to make that happen." He hesitated for a moment before adding, "I feel whole when I'm with him."

Lila's eyes widened. "Aleyn," she said, "you sound pretty serious. Isn't it kind of ... fast?"

"Maybe," Aleyn agreed reluctantly. "Lila, do you think I'm making a mistake here?"

She pursed her lips, considering the matter. "I haven't met him, so I'll take you at your word that he really is as wonderful as all those things you said. Does he feel the same about you, though?"

"I... I think he does. It's kind of complicated, though." Aleyn's brow furrowed as he considered how to explain things. "He just got divorced a few months ago, and it's left him... kind of messed up. He's still finding his way to the point where he can let himself have those kinds of feelings for someone else. But he says he wants to try and make things work with me. And things are getting better," he finished, trying to be deliberately vague.

"I just don't want you to get hurt," Lila said grimly. The _again_ went loudly unspoken. 

Aleyn nodded, looking down at his scarred hands, at the grain of the wooden table. "Believe me, I don't either. I'm scared of that, Lila, really scared. He's so caught up in politics and things I don't even understand... and I'm afraid it'll take him away from me someday. But it was worse when I thought I'd never love anyone ever again... after everything..." He didn't have to explain more - Lila had been there for him during some of his lowest moments, and if anyone was going to understand why he needed this despite the hazards, she would.

"I want you to be happy," Lila told him, as always. "If being with Vedran makes you happy, then good - I'm in favour of it. But take care of yourself too, okay? Be selfish if you have to sometimes. Have a life apart from him too. Be honest with him - and with yourself - if you're not happy anymore."

Aleyn thought about asking her if _she_ was happy, if her marriage was everything she'd imagined it would be when Torin had been courting her, whether she wanted her own separate life sometimes too. He knew it wouldn't do any good to ask, though - she'd never complain. "Easier said than done, sometimes," he said at last, and reached across the table to give her hand a squeeze. She returned it with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"So, when do I get to meet this amazing guy?" she asked, forcing some cheer back into her voice.

"I'm not sure," Aleyn said. "Soon, I hope, but things are kind of hectic at the moment. I'll try to find a time, though. I know you'll like him."

"If he's half as wonderful as you think he is, I'm sure I will," she said, smiling more genuinely. "Now, let me get you some tea, and then you can tell me all about where you've been while I finish making dinner..."

"Oh no," Aleyn said, pre-empting her tea-pouring by getting up. "You're not cooking while I sit around blathering. You can at least let me help while we talk."

"Fine," Lila replied briskly, with a teasing smile. "Think you can chop the carrots without losing any digits in the process?"

Aleyn laughed. "I'll do my best."

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr at [naryrising](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/naryrising) if you want to ask questions, make requests, or chat!


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